'Punjab will soon be among most preferred investment destinations'

Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that within two years the state would be one of the most preferred investment destinations of the country.

Holding the Centre's "step-motherly" treatment responsible for state's slow industrial development, Badal said despite the union government's continued "apathetic" attitude, the state is being accepted as one of the most preferred investment destinations of the country.

"Fiscal sops given by the Union government to certain hill states have given a fatal blow to Punjab's industrial scenario," he told reporters after inaugurating a mall here.

Badal said development projects worth Rs 1, 400 crore would be launched in next four months and all major cities and towns in the state would be connected with four- or six-lane expressways within three years at a cost of Rs 12, 000 crore.

To ensure all-round development of rural areas, the chief minister said an amount of Rs 10, 000 crore would be spent on various projects within next two years.

Replying to a query on the Raghuram Rajan panel report, Badal said the findings of the panel might be like "lollipop" to some states, but Punjab has no hope from any of the Central schemes and policies because the Congress-led government had always been insensitive to the needs of the state.